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Saturday, 31 May 2014

Soooo, tonight, while I wait for my hubby to finish work so I can go meet him for a drink, I thought I would share with you the project I finished this morning:

These are the shorts that I have made for my eldest niece to wear for a wedding we are attending next week, as she refuses to wear a dress.

I made these using the fabric I brought back from my holidays in Tunisia last October, and a pattern from a company new to me - My Little Plumcake. They have some gorgeous kids PDF patterns

I found the pattern very simple to use and the instructions are very clear step-by-step with photos to help. I don't think I got confused once, which is practically unheard of for me. In fact, I found the pattern so simple to use and follow that I will be making these shorts again and purchasing more patterns in the future. The pattern had a number of variations, including optional leg bands, which I decided to use.

My main issue with these shorts was the fabric I decided to use. I should have remembered from last time what a horror it is to work with - it just frays the minute you touch it, and there are frayed bits all over my craft room. It's horrible to clear up too.

However, despite this, I am happy with how the shorts turned out. As I have already said, I will make these again, but definitely not in this fabric, maybe a nice simple cotton. The pattern comes in ages 6 months to 10 years, so I think some are probably in order for the other niece (6 years) and my friend's little girl (just turned 1). I will see what fabric I have in my stash. I wish I could make them in my size too . . . maybe one day!!!!

Wednesday, 28 May 2014

This could be either a birthday or a father's day card. I decided to keep it pretty neutral.

I also decided to keep it pretty CAS. I simply layered an LOTV mini masterpiece onto some kraft card and added some faux stitching with a brown fine liner pen. I also added some faux stitching to the card, which is a white hammered blank.

Sooo, today I have had a day of sewing. I've been making my eldest niece some shorts. They aren't finished yet (I need to go get some buttons tomorrow before I can finish them off), but I will share them with you when they are (hopefully tomorrow). In the meantime I would like to share with you a couple of my slightly insomniac cards from last night - I didn't stay up too late, but I did stay up later than normal, but I had the idea in my head for these cards, so I wanted to get them done.

This is my first:

I don't know where the idea came from, but I had it in my head all day yesterday.

I made this card using up some scraps of paper from the LOTV cakes and candles pad.

I hand drew the numbers and the stars, cut them out and then added faux stitching to the edges.

I then attached these to a large 8x8 inch card using sticky fixers for dimension. I also added faux stitching around the edge of the card.

Monday, 26 May 2014

Sooo, this is another of today's makes. I still have a few ideas on my head, but keep getting distracted by the TV, but I will no doubt have some more to share with you later. I am also off work for the next couple of days. I have some sewing to do, but I'm sure I'll be able to squeeze in some cardmaking too.

Anyway, this is a card made using one of the stamps I got from LOTV recently, and this stamp is Yee Ha! My youngest niece picked this one out for me. She loves coming to the LOTV shop with me on the Saturdays that it is open and helping me choose my stamps and my papers.

Anyway, I stamped this up this morning and then coloured it with promarkers while I was sat catching up on Coast Australia this afternoon. I used the colour inspiration over at Crazy 4 Challenges.

I then made up my card while the hubby was making tea (I have him well-trained, plus he cooks loads better than me).

My original intention hadn't actually been a CAS card, but because of the position I had stamped the image and the fact that I was quite impressed with my colouring, I thought it would work well as a CAS card. So, I simply added some faux stitching in brown around the edges of the panel and stamped a sentiment using one of the LOTV Everyday Grungy Sentiment stamps and brushed corduroy distress ink.

I then simply layered the panel onto some blue patterned paper and then some kraft card, and that was my card done.

This is going to go into the 'for sale' box which is currently kept at work. I am also considering listing it on Etsy, as I think I should be able to recreate it easy enough.

Soooo, this is the second of my makes today. This is my grandmama's birthday card, which is tomorrow:

I made this using the Water Lily stamp, which is from the new release.

I stamped the image in black and then coloured in with distress inks, except the skin, which I coloured with Dusky Pink promarker, resulting in a sunkissed look, which is good, as she is sunbathing. I took inspiration for my colour scheme from the photo inspiration challenge over at Cupcake Inspirations, and I added stickles to the wings, boppers, glass, underskirt and the bottom of the flowers on the image. Unfortunately, you can't see this very well in the photos.

The papers are from various pads and packs, and the blue/white floral paper is actually embossed. I added ink to the embossing folder before running it through the big shot to give the detail some colour.

I also added some lilac and some blue raffia to the card, and some blue flower brads.

I added two blue-edged flowers to the top right hand corner and in the bottom right-hand corner I added 'Grandma' made from some sticky letters pink was all I had).

Finally, I added a 'Happy Birthday' to the image.

I hope my grandmama likes this - I imagine this is her on one of her many holidays sipping her soda water!

Soooo, I seem to have beaten the insomnia (finally), but now I think I have gone the other way and all I want to do is sleep now. However, once I managed to drag my backside out of my very comfy bed this morning, I set about getting to work in my craft room, and this is my first completed make - I have others in progress (ink drying, colouring drying etc.) so more will be shared throughout the day (I may need a nap first though).

Anyway, this is my first make using the new LOTV Magical Fairies art pad. I tried to get this image as the stamp, but it had sold out, and I can see why - it is a gorgeous image. Anyway, fingers crossed it is there next time I go to the shop after payday. In the meantime, I will just have to make do with the art pad (which, of course is no great hardship) and play with the stamp I got instead, which I have stamped and coloured up and will be making into a card next.

Anyway, back to this card. I wanted to go with a night-time feel, and found this gorgeous embossed metallic paper in a load of stash that my grandmother-in-law, Shirley, sent for me (I married into a family full of crafters it seems). I'm sorry to say that the photos really don't do this paper justice at all. It fit perfectly with my card, as it has a feel of midnight and it has purple tones (along with the blue, which means that I can enter this card into this week's Cupcake Inspirations challenge), which fit with the colours I was going for, as I really wanted to use the starry paper, which I eventually used to layer up the image. I then layered it onto some purple card. from the scarps of purple left, I diecut a corner and the flourish, to which I added lots of stickles. The background paper made me want to go as glittery as possible. I also added stickles to the fairy's wings, the stars and the moon on the image.

The scalloped card blank also came from the stash sent by Grandma Shirley. The layout is a sketch from Sketch n Stash, which I turned on its side.

The sentiment is stamped in Dusty Concord distress ink, cut out and layered onto some purple card. The sentiment stamp is from the LOTV Everyday Grungy Messages set, which I love and had been waiting to have a card with enough room to put one of these on (I usually end up using tags), and I thought the sentiment here was perfect for this card.

To finish the card, I added some metallic foil stars in the the top left-hand corner to correspond with the sketch, and then some smaller stars in each corner of the card. These stars have been in my stash since forever and I couldn't tell you where I got them from in the first place - I have long forgotten. They do come in handy though.

And that is my card. I may add a 'Grandma' sentiment on it and give it to my gran for her birthday tomorrow, but I think I have another card in mind - with a fairy, as she is as mad about fairies as me. This is the grandma that I am most like - I get my sewing talents from her (seems to have skipped a generation, but talents seems to do that in my family), so her card has to be special, but I know that if I like it, she will like it.

Anyway, I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Right, on to my next card - I have a few to make today and there are loads of birthdays coming up and I just haven't been as prepared as usual, as I have been sewing lots (I will show you what, eventually).

Happy Crafting!

Holly

xx

Cupcake Inspirations photo challenge - I want one of these cupcakes now!

Friday, 23 May 2014

Sooo, this is another of my insomnia creations. I think I'm slowly beating the insomnia. I'm now falling asleep OK at a reasonable, but my sleep is very fitful, so it's not exactly good quality and I am not getting much in total, but I think this is an improvement on not being able to sleep at all. It does, however, mean that I am not creating as much as I was, and I fall asleep before blogging, but I thought I would get a quick spot of blogging done while I wait for hubby to come back from the shops with my chocolate.

Anyway, enough of my rambling.

This card is made using a LOTV art pad image, cut to a square, which I then layered onto some red card.

The papers are from the LOTV cakes and candles paper pad, also layered onto red card.

I also added some blue baker's twine from my stash and a large blue button.

Finally, I added two smaller buttons in the top right-hand corner of the card.

I think this would be a good card for a boy/man birthday or even father's days, which will be upon us soon here in the UK.

Tuesday, 20 May 2014

The image on this card is from the new LOTV Here Comes Annabel art pad. I don't remember seeing this image as a stamp, but I imagine it will follow shortly.

The papers are all from the LOTV Perfect Pair paper pad.

The sketch for this card comes from Sketch n Stash. I've used lots of new stash on this card. as well as a couple of older bits

I cut the image to a smaller rectangle and tried to distress the edges using scissors. I wasn't too successful but the idea was there. I think I might have to invest in a distress tool. I added faux stitching in green around the edge of the image.

The green ribbon is from my stash and the pink is actually a scrap of bias binding that would never be long enough to use on any sewing projects.

the green flower is a self-adhesive foam flower which I have had in my stash since forever.

To finish the card, I stamped an LOTV sentiment tag, added a green string bow and pink gems to the corners of the image panel.

I have a couple of people I could give this card to, but for the time being it can go in the for sale box at work.

Soooo, I'm that side out at the moment, which means not only do I have insomnia, but I am also feeling really creative. I'm running the risk of falling asleep at my desk as tiredness hits mid-afternoon, rather than about now (it's 11.30pm UK time), as it should. Obviously, I can't go off and have a nap at work, so you would think that I would be exhausted by the time I get home, but nope! Wide awake at nearly midnight and no sign of settling down to sleep any time soon. On the plus side, the only think I can really do in the middle of the night without disturbing the husband too much is to lock myself away in my craft room and create. I find that I usually am more creative when I have big things on my mind, which I do at the moment.

Anyway, this is the first of tonight's creations:

I apologise for the lack of/quality of photos - I think I have broken the camera (can't get it to focus properly) and have resorted to my phone camera now, which is a bit hit and miss on quality.

Anyway, this card is made using an LOTV mini masterpiece, which are now only available in their ebay outlet.

The papers are all from the bonnets and bowties paper pad, and I stitched the layers together with some purple thread. I didn't do this very straight, as you will be able to see, but I would like to think that it adds to the charm of the card.

I used the sketch over at Tuesday Morning Sketches for the layout.

I added two LOTV sentiment tags and die-cut a butterfly from a scrap of coordinating paper. I added some liquid pearls to the body of the butterfly, and finally added two pearls in the top right-hand corner of the card.

Monday, 19 May 2014

Soooo, after approximately three hours sleep and spending half that time wondering if I can demand redundancy by combat and if Oberon would be my champion (sorry - I am a Game of Thrones geek), I decided to get up as sleep wasn't going to return, and share the card I made at about 1o'clock this morning:

This is a card made using an LOTV die-cut, which are no longer available on the website, but I think are still available in the Ebay outlet store. I have nearly used up my stash so might have to see if I can get some more, or buy all the stamps (but that would be expensive).

Anyway, I followed the sketch over at Love to Create, because it doesn't matter how awake you are, at 1am, you need a bit of help with the designing.

The papers are from my stash and I have absolutely no idea where they came from originally, and I disguised the seam with some green raffia which was a magazine freebie recently. I was going to go all purple, but I love the combination of mint and purple.

I added a peel-off sentiment and some flowers as per the sketch. I then added some purple and silver stars with the flowers to tie-in with the image and little stars in the other corners of the image.

Finally, I added three mint pearls to the top right-hand corner of the card and stickles to the skirt and stars on the image.

Sooo, sleep is somewhat evading me tonight, despite the fact that I am ridiculously tired - too much on the mind. So I decided that the best thing to do was get up and make a start on my father's day cards, which is in approximately 4 weeks I believe.

And here is my first creation (sorry for the wonky photo - it is late):

This is made using a LOTV art pad image from the Vintage Boys Art Pad.

I layered this onto some brown paper and added brown faux stitching with a fine liner pen. I then layered up three strips of paper, which all come from a Wellington paper pack. I attached this on the vertical centre of a large 8x8 card blank. I added faux stitching to this also, and then attached the image panel over the top, as central is I could get it.

I then die-cut letters to spell 'relax' from some scraps of kraft card. I added faux stitching to this also and attached these to the top left of the image panel

Finally, I stamped a sentiment in the opposite corner using brushed corduroy distress ink and an LOTV sentiment stamp, and then added little faux cross stitch to each corner of the card.

Sunday, 18 May 2014

Soooooo, tonight I would like to share with you a card I made a while ago, but just hadn't blogged about.

This was an order from the step-mother (non-wicked) for a Christening she was attending.

I made this card using an LOTV stamp, which I coloured using promarkers. I then cut the image out to a rectangle, layered it onto some gauze, which I think gives it a lovely shabby chic edge, and then layered that onto some DP from the LOTV bear necessities paper pad.

I added a little white bow and two tags, stamped in silver using the LOTV every day sentiment tag stamps. I also used a blank tag from the Christmas sentiment stamp tag and wrote 'Oliver' in silver gel pen. I then added little blue gems to the remaining three corners of the image panel.

I attached this panel to the right hand side of the card.

I then pleated some ivory ribbon along the left-hand edge and add a little bow at the bottom made from two shades of blue ribbon.

Wednesday, 14 May 2014

Soooo, today I would like to share with you the gorgeous dress I made for my baby sister , Gilly, (actual age - 26) recently. This is her birthday present, which was back in March, but as she has been in Germany since then, there has been no rush to make it up, but I was that way out about three weeks ago (when I'm grumpy, I sew) so I decided to make a start on it.

My first job was to adjust Doris (the dress form) to Gilly's size. This was OK, but I have had to inform Gilly that if she loses any more weight, she will have to buy me a new Doris, as she was set to the smallest she would go (Doris is a medium).

The fabric is an Etsy find, I think from South Korea (or south-east Asia at the very least). It has a gorgeous light-weight denim feel and I do think it is possible to be in love with a fabric, then I am with this. It is also available in pink, so I am thinking of treating myself.

The pattern is a Great British Sewing Bee first series book pattern. In fact it is the same pattern I made to use my swing dress recently. It just goes to show how using a different fabric and changing one element, such as the halterneck can really make a dress look different.

Anyway, the reason this dress is twice sewn is because I can't read/remember instructions very well and I sewed a larger seam allowance than the pattern allowed for (I should maybe have cut a bigger size but that is irrelevant). However, I didn't realise I had done this until I had sewn it all, including inserting the zip, meaning it didn't fit Doris. Well, it wouldn't be a Holly creation without at least one thing going wrong.

So, I had to unpick everything and start again, with a smaller seam allowance, so each seam has been sewn twice.

Gilly did not want a halterneck on her dress, but wanted straps instead. I toyed with the ideas of making some straps from the same fabric, but then came across the tulle in my stash, which I thought would work perfectly and soften the overall effect a little, so I added tulle straps instead. Also, these were so much easier than the halterneck.

I also had the idea of adding ruffled tulle to the hem, but Gilly decided she didn't like this so I took it off. Even the hem has been sewn twice!

I really love this dress and I'm jealous that it is for Gilly and not me, but then again, maybe in my larger size it wouldn't look anywhere near as good. Also, my sister is one of those that could make a bin bag look good, so I know she is going to look amazing in this. She is wearing it for my cousin's wedding in four weeks' time, so I just know she is going to outshine us all.

I am now on with making a dress for my other sister, again for the wedding, using a different pattern, which I will share with you when it is finished (hopefully this week).

About Me

Hello, my name is Holly and I live in Yorkshire, UK, where it generally rains and does not much else, but that gives me plenty of time to sit indoors and craft. I have been making cards for about a year now and I soon moved onto sewing and trying other crafts too.

It started as something to keep me occupied while the hubby (or fiance as he was at the time) watched football (soccer to anyone in the US) and it became a bit of an obsession, so much so that my spare room is now my sewing studio and I no longer have to sit at the kitchen table.

My other hobbies include tap dancing, following MotoGP and reading. I am also studying with the Open University for my history degree and am in my final year.

I sometimes wonder how I find time to do all this, and see my friends, as by day I work for a solicitors' firm in Leeds.

You can contact me using the contact form below or at fairy[dash]elephants[at]